


Many Happy Returns

by theprincessed



Series: Aaron Week 2018 [4]
Category: Emmerdale
Genre: Aaron Dingle POV, Anxiety, Birthday, Birthday Party, Bullying, Fire, Future Fic, Happy Ending, M/M, Romantic Gestures, Teenagers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-15
Updated: 2018-11-15
Packaged: 2019-08-20 09:36:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,316
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16553324
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theprincessed/pseuds/theprincessed
Summary: Three birthdays Aaron has throughout his life - 15th, 27th, 40th.(Day 4: Past & Future)





	Many Happy Returns

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya! This was a bit of an unexpected one.
> 
> Hope you enjoy x

It's ten o'clock at night when someone taps Aaron on the shoulder. He's hanging around the nearest park benches as the wind whips through his tracksuit top. He tries to keep his shiver contained, thankful for the baseball cap on his head and the lighter in his right hand. He keeps flicking the flame to life, if only for a brief second of warmth because his mates insisted he meet them here and, with nothing better to do, he couldn't refuse. 

In truth, he'd rather be out here than at home with his dad, spine tight with fear and loathing. The outdoors has a certain freedom of space, even if the grass is crunchy underfoot with frost as the winter months cling on.

Aaron's dying for a smoke, but he turns around to see who wants him instead as his pack of cigarettes stay in his pocket. At eighteen, Bobby is older than Aaron's fifteen years and ballsy with it. He might be a bit scared and intimidated if his secrets weren't far darker than anything Bobby or his gang could cook up.

"'Ere," he says, tossing Aaron a can of Stella Artois. "Happy birthday, mate."

He hadn't mentioned it. "What?"

"Are ya deaf? I said, happy birthday," Bobby crows, circling him with beady, dark eyes. He leans closer, the orange of a streetlight playing across his face. "Me little sister fancies ya, don't she? Knows all about you, y'see."

 _No, she doesn't_ he wants to say, but knows its best to keep his mouth shut. Bobby smiles like he passed a test and plucks Aaron's lighter from his grip. He instinctively clenches his now empty fist because Bobby is enjoying his favourite thing - messing with other people's stuff. These boys being Aaron's "mates" is a very loose term.

Gesturing to a tall beanpole lad who moves like he is actually scared of what Bobby might do to him if he doesn't, he hands Bobby one of his cigarettes as Bobby continues to stare. If he's waiting for a comment or some sort, he's going to be waiting a long, long time and Aaron flexes his fingers.

"Knows you're out all hours, but you're nice to the girls in school. You've got a fake ID that you only use to get your cigs and you never tell anyone anythin' about yaself like ya think you're an international man of mystery or somethin'. She likes that about ya, my sis. I just think it makes ya boring." He lights the filter, tosses the lighter - a cheap, transparent blue one from the local newsagent - at Aaron's feet then presses in until their foreheads almost touch. "Are ya boring, Aaron?"

He's sprayed too much Lynx on himself tonight and his breath smells of previous smokes and lager. With a shaved head and walk that's all in the shoulders to somehow make himself look harder than he probably is, Aaron thinks he's a bit of a clueless dick but something calls him back to this park every time he asks to meet up and it's not fear like Dean, the beanpole.

"What d'you think?" he sneers.

Bobby smiles slowly, like a shark baring its teeth. "Nah, only messing," he says eventually, stepping back and offering Aaron the cigarette lying dormant in his hand. "You're alright, like. Could be useful. Much more than this sack of shit!"

He spins away to yank another boy into a headlock, ignoring his dismayed cry not to ruin his spiky hair to laugh wildly. Aaron breathes, letting go of any tension in his body, then inhales again, taking in the smoke to his lungs. Smoking calms him so that everything inside his head quietens down, if only for a few minutes every time. It's no coincidence that he's been smoking more and more lately and the hit of nicotine is wearing off quicker. Bobby's not a stranger to stronger vices and he's acting like he's had a cut of the last lot already, bouncing around like maniac as he gets in people's faces.

"What we gonna do tonight then?" Aaron asks, because it's either this or going home to sleep.

"Well, birthday boy," Bobby grins, "I got some gear to shift, don't I? You in?"

It's not the worst day he's ever had, but it's not something to rave about either. This is why he rarely takes an interest in celebrating them now. What is there to celebrate about being one year older, one year of constant disappointments and a rage he can feel slowly eating him up from the inside out. There's a small mercy that he can handle the likes of Bobby instead and make some money from this day that means very little to him anymore.

Aaron has one last drag of his cigarette before he stamps it out with his trainers and reaches for the handlebars of his mountain bike rested against the park bench. "I'm in."

\---

All of Aaron's family are here at the Mill, which means the ones he doesn't mind making a little fuss of him on the day of his birthday. To give Vic time to enjoy a family occasion for a change, Chas and Paddy have sorted most of the food from David's, apart from Robert's famous roast chicken, and Liv's taken care of the decorations. Her in charge reminds him of his and Robert's first wedding.

Luckily, there's not a polar bear or tree branch in sight, just simple balloons in silver and black (she knows the way to his heart) and a banner proclaiming **IT IS YOUR BIRTHDAY.** because clearly his husband has been watching too much of _The Office_ on Netflix and thinks he's funny. What is nice is the colourful squiggles in the corners of the white banner and Aaron picks Seb up from the living room floor. 

"Now this bit, this bit I like," he smiles, pointing at the reds and blues on the banner. "Did you do this, mate? You been helping your Daddy colour, eh?"

"All his own work," Robert nods proudly with a teasing grin.

"Well done," Aaron chuckles, kisses him on the head then lets him down so he can toddle off to Diane on the sofa, holding one of his favourite lorries. Who cares what age his old man is.

With his hands free, Aaron feels Robert turn him around and slide his arms around his waist. Predictably, Liv increases the volume on the music a little and his family busies themselves with drink and food as he and Robert have a moment.

"Mmm - so now I'm married to a 27-year old," he murmurs happily. "Aging like a fine wine, y'know."

"Trust you." Aaron rolls his eyes. "Still always be younger than you though. Think ya can keep up with me?"

He watches Robert's eyes drop to his mouth. "Try me."

Aaron dares to kiss him anyway because Robert wanted him to and his family are used to this by now, as long as he can keep it PG-rated. He lets Robert push it with the tiniest hint of tongue before Chas forcefully intrudes.

"Alright, put 'im down, love!" she exclaims as Aaron breaks their kiss, setting his face like stone to hide his blush. "Birthday boy needs to blow out his candles!"

"Don't," he mutters through gritted teeth. He squeezes Robert's elbow hard to ward off any innuendo-laden remark then smooths his hand down his chest. He's wearing the white shirt with the blue patches and grey trousers, some of Aaron's favourites. "Later."

He can feel Robert's smirk following him as he takes his seat at their kitchen table at Chas' request, filled with food and his presents sitting on the countertops. He feels appreciated and loved like he has for very few of his birthdays, most of the best featuring the people in this room. He watches Robert join in singing him Happy Birthday as Chas puts the simple cake in front of him and lights the candles.

"Hey, Seb?" he calls and his son, playing with the toys in Diane's lap, turns towards his voice. "Wanna help your Dad make a wish?"

He nods vigorously and scampers over to the table, squealing in excitement even though he probably doesn't realise what Aaron means. He lifts Seb onto his lap and Chas carefully lights the candles on the cake. "Okay, now before we make a wish, we have to blow these out, so big breath!" He breathes in deeply, exaggerating filling his cheeks, and exhales over Seb's head, the candles extinguished. "Good job, mate!"

Everyone cheers as Aaron thinks of the teenager he once was, lonely and beyond angry, and he's so grateful for what he's moulded his life to be, with a husband who adores him, a son who depends on him and a family who loves him as much as he's trying to love himself.

\---

The night had been one to remember.

It's a good thing for a big milestone birthday, Aaron supposes. The big 4-0. 

He doesn't feel forty years old, but then who does? Or maybe it's the fact that his husband will always be ahead of him in those stakes and it keeps him young. Whatever the reason, they'd both got in a fair amount of age-based banter tonight as Robert had treated him to a surprise night away in a hotel, just the two of them with time to be a couple again and leave behind their responsibilities to wreck a room and each other, in the best way possible.

After two rounds of the loudest, most satisfying sex they'd had in a while, Robert had dragged himself to his feet again.

"Where are you going?" Aaron said. Although, with his face muffled into the pillow as he lay belly down on the huge bed, it probably sounded more like _whryagon?_

Thankfully, Robert was now fluent in Aaron-speak and was first adept at post-coital Aaron-speak from the early days of their affair. So, he smiled and strutted brazenly around the bed in the nude, heading towards the en-suite bathroom. "Gimme a couple of minutes and I'm all yours."

Aaron groaned at his smirk. "I can't do a third yet! I'm not a machine, Robert!"

"Not as young as you used to be, eh?" his husband crowed, smacking him on his equally bare arse before he disappeared.

Aaron wasn't sure if he'd actually dozed off or not when he felt Robert's presence return behind him, leaning into his ear. "Oh, Aaron. Love of my life. Wakey, wakey,"

"Shut up," he snapped, rolling over. "Soft git."

With a smile just as soft, Robert offered his hand. "I've got something to show ya."

He pulled Aaron into the bathroom where he'd transformed the quite small space into a room that felt quite magical and intimate, tickling the romantic bone in Aaron's body that took some coaxing to surface, but never let Robert down when showing his appreciation and even one-upping him when it's time to return the favour.

Lining every shelf and counter, candles glowed warmly in the darkness and the bathtub sat in the middle filled to the brim with bubbles. Whilst Aaron was out cold, he ordered champagne on ice too. Aaron's never really liked the taste too much, as far back as their honeymoon, but something about licking the fizz off various parts of Robert's body made the drink hold some appeal, including in the last over a decade of marriage.

Robert took a drink from the bottle then held it to Aaron's mouth. He could feel Robert's eyes on the side of his face and throat as he gulped the champagne down and then his arm come across his body, fingers curling over his shoulder.

"Y'know, after this, I think there's massage oils in here somewhere," he whispered close to his ear.

Aaron rolled his eyes. "Alright, old man, I can take a hint. What is it this time? Knees? Back? Overworked - "

"No chance," Robert interrupted, pushing his hips forward.

Following the snogging like teenagers Aaron suspected they'd fall into, he got in the bath and only a small part of him minded that Robert invited himself to join too. Mostly it was nice to relax together and soothe each other's slightly sore muscles. It was back to reality tomorrow and whilst Aaron wouldn't change his life for anything, he committed that moment to memory anyway.

They tumbled into bed shortly afterwards, forgetting the massage to be wrapped up in each other instead.

That was hours ago and Aaron wakes blearily to a strange smell. He blinks because he thinks his vision is finally letting him down before it clicks that no, the room _is_ actually in the grip of a creeping kind of fog. Confused, he sniffs and struggles upright in shock. Not fog, not a dream, it's _smoke_.

Their room is swirling with smoke.

There's a fire.

Aaron shakes Robert's shoulder roughly. "Robert? Rob, quick! Wake up!"

He mumbles sleepily. "What's wrong?"

"There's a fire!" Aaron jumps out of his side of the bed as Robert gasps then freezes, wide eyed. "Robert, come on! We have to get out of here!"

The fear in Aaron's voice propels him into action and they throw on enough clothes to make themselves decent because they'd been sleeping tangled up naked. This was meant to be a birthday treat, but it's turning into a nightmare.

It furthers when Robert looks in horror at the bathroom door. He's thinking the same as Aaron. He can't remember if they blew out the candles before they got distracted by lust. Aaron watches him bravely cross the room, test the handle then shove open the door. They both breathe a sigh when the room is dark and they realise it's not their fault, but they soon start coughing as the smoke continues to roll in.

"It's coming from outside!" Aaron croaks into his elbow.

Robert looks lost. Aaron can't blame him, not after what he's been through and what he's seen, but he also knows it's probably down to him to get them out of here safe. He'd laugh at the irony of Robert doing as much for him in that lake, water versus fire, but he has to be sensible and help them survive for as long as he can.

"Get low!" he says, walking in a crouched position towards the door to their room before Robert scrambles after him and touches the handle.

Unlike the bathroom, this door is red hot and Robert jumps back with a hiss. The fire is nearby. Aaron tries hard not to feel trapped. He looks around for something to plug the gap underneath the door to stop the smoke choking them and chooses their rumpled sheets. They should be damp, but there's no time.

"Help me with this!" Aaron says, rolling them up. Robert doesn't move. "Robert, please!"

He's staring between the door and the window, fretful.

 _The window_.

From a grand hotel, it's an old style push up window with a latch. Aaron knows they can't go into the corridor unprotected, so it's the next best thing to get them seen. He wedges the sheets beneath the door to bide them some time and drags Robert with him to the window, pushing with all his might to be able to stick his head out.

It's the middle of the night and yet below is awash with bright lights and the sounds of approaching sirens. He looks up and swallows, the world above them engulfed in orange flames. The noise is deafening, so he shouts and screams for their lives.

"Help, please! We're here! We're trapped! Help!"

He lets go of Robert's hand and coughs in thick, black fumes from the sky as he tries to lean further out. He looks down at a mechanical whirring noise to see a huge ladder extending in their direction. Robert wheezes somewhere behind him. He can't feel him, but he also can't take his eyes off the ladder and the firefighters scaling it to get to them in case they're missed.

"Hey, hey - you're alright," the first firefighter smiles encouragingly at Aaron, reaching out. "I'm Caleb and I'm gonna get you to safety - can you squeeze through the gap? Just swing your leg out and I'll help you do the rest."

Aaron shakes his head. "I can't - my husband, he's - " Aaron ducks into the room again to find Robert is standing by the small table in the corner, his hands gripping the back of the wooden chair so hard he's trembling. Eyes as wide as saucers, he manages to glance at Aaron. 

Sensing something is wrong, Caleb appears through the window.

"Robert, come on! We have to do this!" Aaron pleads desperately. He rushes to his side and takes his sweaty face in his hands to make sure he's looking into his eyes. "I love you, okay? I love ya so much and we're not - WE ARE NOT - gonna die in this fire, ya hear me? You didn't give up on me in that car, so I'm not gonna give up on you here."

He thinks he's overdone it and Caleb inches forward to take control when Robert blinks like a spell has been broken. "Yeah," he splutters, "yeah, okay."

Aaron turns to Caleb. "We're good to go. Take him first."

"Yes, sir," he replies.

Aaron sees him debate whether to throw Robert over his shoulder in an aborted move before Aaron pushes Robert to the window to make the decision for them all and Caleb guides Robert out onto the ladder. Watching him leave is one of the hardest things he's ever had to do and the further away he becomes, the more Aaron feels an almost physical, painful pull in his chest, willing himself to run down that ladder after him.

Luckily, another firefighter arrives and Aaron steps out. If his legs feel like jelly, he has no idea how Robert's must be. As soon as he touches terra firma again, Aaron runs through the crowd of bewildered hotel guests and staff to the first available ambulance to find Robert sat huddled on the back of one, a blanket over his shoulders and an oxygen mask over his face as a paramedic uses her stethoscope.

"Robert!" Hands on his knees, Aaron doubles over to cough and suddenly feels very woozy. "Is he alright?"

"Whoa!" she cries, catching him before he falls. "Let's take a look at you first, shall we?"

"Is my husband alright?" He bats away the paramedic to throw his arms around Robert. He can hold him up if need be. At least Robert's conscious. Aaron presses their foreheads together, the mask digging into the bridge of his nose but he doesn't care. "You okay? Talk to me, Robert, please,"

A cough wracking his body and soot covering his shiny face, Robert pulls the oxygen mask down. "D'ya want some of this? 'Tis good stuff."

Aaron tucks his face into Robert's neck and sobs in relief. "Thank god for that! I'm so sorry you had to go through this, really I am,"

"Not our fault," he replies dryly, squeezing him close and clearly as glad to be able to touch him as Aaron is with him. "Heard that receptionist say to someone that it was started deliberately, in the toilets, in a bin."

Aaron holds in his shock and anger to hold Robert tighter and to hopefully stop his mind from going deep into his past.

This feels like the birthdays to end all birthdays, but it's not. It isn't the end and that's all Aaron cares about right now. As long as he and Robert are safe and relatively unharmed, everything else can wait.

Birthdays are just another day in the calendar. Robert joked but it's true. He's the love of Aaron's life too and he and their families are all that matters.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading, lovelies x
> 
> I'm on tumblr at [theprincessed](http://www.theprincessed.tumblr.com). Come chat to me. :)


End file.
